Reapers over Pulse
by LastGreatAvenger
Summary: A Mass Effect/Final Fantasy XIII crossover fic. Lightning and the gang are rebuilding after Cocoon's fall, but what happens when Reapers begin to drop from the sky? Can Commander Shepard and the crew of Normandy save the struggling former l'cie? Rated for Language/Violence/Later Chapters. Please R
1. I: New Beginnings

**Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy or its characters, nor Mass Effect or its characters. I'm just a fan.**

**Description: A Mass Effect/FFXIII crossover. The Reapers invade Gran Pulse, and Lightning and the former L'cie put up a good fight. Will Commander John Sheppard be able to assist them and push the enemy out?**

_Reapers over Pulse_

**Lightning's POV**

Lightning looked around at all the people gathered at the base of the now-crystalized Cocoon. So many of them had just hours before believed that she and her friends were there to end their world. The looks of gratitude now being directed at the l'cie were a nice bit of compensation.

Lightning turned around and surveyed the empty plain that awaited the Cocoon survivor's. She could make out the coast of a lake or ocean of some sort in the distance. She decided at that point she would work to make this world safe for Serah and her new extended family.

She made her way towards where a large cluster of GC and PSICOM soldiers were gathered. They turned towards her as she approached. Some of the GC from Bohdum saluted her as she walked into the group.

"Who's in charge here? Please tell me some form of command still exists." Lightning looked around at the soldiers, who had taken sudden interest in their feet at her question. "There isn't, is there?"

"No ma'am. The chain of command fell apart with Rosch's death." One of the PSICOM officers said to her, giving a quick salute as he spoke.

"Alright then. As of right now, I'm taking control of both the GC and PSICOM. See if we can find a way into Cocoon. We're going to need supplies and hopefully we can salvage a few of the smaller aircraft." The soldiers all saluted her, then began to move out. One of them handed her an earpiece as he left.

Lightning looked through the crowd again. She saw Hope and his father with their arms wrapped around each other on the outskirts of the crowd. Snow, Serah, Dajh, and Sazh were clustered together. They started laughing and Serah turned to look at her big sister. Serah made a beckoning motion, wanting Lightning to come and stand by her. Lightning smiled and gave a quick shake of her head. She turned back to the crystal pillar that rose into the sky.

_Fang, Vanille, I hope you two are still looking out for us._ She looked up at the crystal sphere that remained suspended in the air and thought of her two friends.

"Commander Lightning? This is the Captain Rygdea. We've found a way to extract some of the old Sanctum fleet. We're moving the flag to the Lindblum. You should see us in the skies shortly." The captain startled Lightning back to the present.

"Excellent work captain. Though I'm a little curious as to why you can't bring the Palamecia out." Lightning returned to surveying the area as she spoke.

"Turns out the Palamecia was some sort of fal'Cie. Dysley, or should I say Barthandelus, ordered it to work as the PSICOM headquarters. He's as dead as the rest of the fal'Cie." Rygdea sounded disdainful as he spoke.

"I understand captain. Just get what you can out of Cocoon. Then we'll start looking for a place to start a settlement. Lightning out." Lightning tucked the earpiece into one of her pockets, and then walked over to the group.

Lightning put her arm on Serah's back, who turned to look at her big sister. The group, Hope, Lighting, Snow, Serah, Sazh, Dajh, and Bartholomew all looked towards the now setting sun as what remained of the Sanctum sky fleet extracted itself from the crystalized remains of their former home.

...

**Shepard's POV**

"Commander, I've received a report from Admiral Hackett regarding news of Reaper activity through the Omega Four relay. Given Aria's recent retaking of Omega, we're now free to investigate." EDI's voice awoke Shepard from his sleep. It had been another restless night, full of nightmares of the boy he'd failed to save.

"I'm up, I'm up. Set a course for the relay, I'll be on the bridge in a few minutes" Shepard began putting his armor on, occasionally rubbing his forehead to clear his recently developed headache. In a couple of minutes he was riding down the elevator, just as the Normandy arrived at the Omega Four relay.

"Take us through, Joker." Shepard put a hand on the pilots chair as Jeff maneuvered the Normandy closer to the gate.

In a few moments, the Normandy had arrived at the site of the former Collector base. The rubble that remained from its destruction at Shepard's hands floated through the rest of the debris field. Several Reapers were gathered around what looked like the beginnings of another Mass Relay.

Sheppard looked at the device. "What's going on here?"

...

Always fun starting a new story, especially with two of my favorite universes.


	2. II: Six Months Later

**Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy or its characters, nor Mass Effect or its characters. I'm just a fan.**

**Description: A Mass Effect/FFXIII crossover. The Reapers invade Gran Pulse, and Lightning and the former l'Cie put up a good fight. Will Commander John Sheppard be able to assist them and push the enemy out?**

**Brief A/N: I'm going to try and keep updates rolling, but I promise neither lengthy a chapter at each update nor that I can maintain a high level of updating. I've got school to deal with as well as writing my own novel.**

…

**Lightning's POV**

**Six Months Later**

Lightning stood on a cliff overlooking the settlement of New Bodhum. She sighed briefly as she remembered her old home on Cocoon. She took a look over the bay at the crystal pillar that held their former home, and thought, as she had many times in the past six months, of the two woman entombed within.

"Yo Lightning! We're waiting on you!" Snow cried from in front of their new home. It'd been a few months since his wedding to Serah, and Lightning still hadn't gotten used to him living with them. Or calling her sister.

"I'll be there in a minute. Just got to finish a few things." Lightning shouted as she placed the earpiece on her head.

"This is Commander Lightning. Evening reports from all sectors." Lightning had quickly established order from the shattered remains of the Sanctum forces. The former Sanctum Sky Fleet was now used primarily to scout ground before settlements were placed. The _Lindblum_, however, was never far from New Bodhum. As the new flagship, it went where Lightning went.

"This is Rygdea. We've arrived in Oerba, and we're beginning to reestablish it. Power should be back up soon, and we're making good time in cleaning it up." Lightning hadn't wanted to use Fang and Vanille's old home as a settlement, but as a prime location with pre-made structures, it was a logical move.

"This is Amodar. We're still scouting around the Archylte Steppe, but we think we've found a good place to start up a colony. Either way, we've made good use of the native chocobos." Lightning had been relieved to learn her friend and former commander had survived both the Purge and the fal'Cie plot. She'd immediately placed him in command of a unit.

"This is Stark. We're clearly things up nicely in the Mah'habara Subterra. We almost lost a few men to that big rolling fal'Cie, but we managed to get out of its way in time." Stark had been a relatively unknown GC before the fall. She'd been second in command of the Home Guard, which made her an obvious choice for command. Lightning hadn't had a second thought about making her one of Lightning's commanders.

"Right, that'll be all. Morning reports at 08:00. Lightning out." Lightning finished hearing from her three commanders and stowed the earpiece in its pocket. She then leapt down from where she'd been standing and walked to the house.

As she entered, she was met by the smell of cooking meet and the wood in the fireplace. Sazh and Dajh, Hope and Bartholomew, NORA; the entire gang was gathered together to celebrate.

_Not the whole gang. _Lightning had to continually remind herself that as much as she detested it, Fang and Vanille were gone. Gone, but not forgotten. A portrait of the two had been left on the doorstep after the house had been finished, and now hung right over the fireplace.

Lightning sat down on the couch, right next to Serah, sandwiching her between herself and Snow. Hope stood in the middle of the room, telling a story about his travels. In the last six months, Hope had worked closely with other experts and the Woodlands Observation Battalion to reduce the number of wild beasts near settlements. He was currently telling how he'd defended members of the battalion from a Behemoth King during an expedition. It had earned him a recommendation to Lightning to head Research and Development.

Snow turned to Lightning after Hope had sat down. "So, sis, what're things like over the rest of Pulse?" Everyone focused on the pinkette as she sighed.

"Well, Oerba's going to be ready to house civilians soon. There's a good place to start a colony on the Steppes, and things are generally looking up." Everyone was disappointed that she'd kept her report so simple, but immediately returned to the festivities.

Lightning leaned in to whisper into Serah's ear. "What are we celebrating again?"

Serah leaned over, resting her head on her sister's shoulder. "I think it has something to do with being alive this long. Or, you know, Lebreau and Yuj's _wedding._"

Lightning smacked herself mentally. How could she have forgotten that Yuj had proposed to Lebreau. She smiled and leaned over to her sister. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

**A few hours later…**

After the festivities had died down a bit and people had left to their respective homes, Lightning sat on the edge of the dock with her feet dangling in the water. She'd changed from her usual outfit to a simple black tank top and shorts. Her gunblade was plunged into the support closest to her.

As she leaned back on her hands, she looked up and saw the moon perfectly reflect off Cocoon. She looked again at the pillar and sighed. _Hope you two keep looking out for us. I don't know if you can hear me, but we'll find a way to get you guys free. I promise._

"Talking to Fang and Vanille?" Serah sat down next to her sister, setting her shoes down beside her.

"Yeah. Just asking for a bit of good luck." Lightning leaned further back, looking into the night sky.

"I didn't think you believed in luck." Serah smiled smugly at her sister.

"Well, people change. I think we've all changed a bit in the past six months." Lightning closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the sea breeze.

…

**Shepard's POV**

"Admiral, we need to send something here to stop the Reapers from completing that relay!" Shepard was desperately trying to get Hackett to understand.

"I'm sorry Commander, but we just can't spare the manpower. We're pinned down enough as is. Perhaps you can get Aria to lend you some support." Hackett disappeared from the hologram briefly as an aide pulled him aside.

"Admiral, if the Reapers are building a Relay here, it must mean they've got another relay to connect it to. For all we know, there are reinforcements for the Reapers on the other end!"

"I'll consider it. In the meantime, resume your mission and get us the Quarrian fleets. Hackett out."

Shepard returned to his room, intently studying the images the _Normandy_ had captured while beyond the Omega Four relay. It'd been six months, so who knew how far along construction had come.

Shepard found his mind wandering to what awaited beyond the new relay. It could be Reaper reinforcements, or it could be new allies and new worlds.

_Whatever it is, I hope to god we're ready for it…_

…

**I'm having a blast with this story. Hoping to put the invasion in the next chapter. Also looking forward to more character development. Also, to the FF13 buffs who argue that Amodar is dead, it was never really said what happened to him, so I added a good character to the mix.**


	3. III: The Invasion of Gran Pulse

**Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy or its characters, nor Mass Effect or its characters. I'm just a fan.**

**Description: A Mass Effect/FFXIII crossover. The Reapers invade Gran Pulse, and Lightning and the former l'Cie put up a good fight. Will Commander John Sheppard be able to assist them and push the enemy out?**

**Another Brief A/N: Hey again. To AbyssKeeper, Thanks for the reviews. To the rest of you, more reviews are wanted. I would prefer only constructive criticism or praise, but if there's something you really don't agree with, feel free to express your opinions. I can't promise I'll take them into account, but whatever. Also, I would like to say thank you for the (as of this moment) 137 views!**

…

**Shepard's POV**

**Two Months Later…**

"Commander, we've received word that the new mass relay is complete and that Reaper's have begun to jump through. We're deeming it serious enough to send a fleet. While we may not be able to push the Reapers out, we can give you and the _Normandy _enough time to get through the relay and find out what's on the other side." Admiral Hackett's eyes showed a bit of the humility he expressed at having to give in to Shepard, but he kept his tone dignified. Shepard worked very hard not to feel smug.

"Thank you, Admiral. Is there anything else, or should we prepare for the attack?" Shepard started shifting from foot to foot, eager to finally uncover the mystery of the new relay.

"Actually, there is something else. We're putting a squad of our best operatives together to accompany you. I'm sending their dossiers now. They're quite impressive, and have helped secure many tactical locations.

Two side panels activated each with two faces on it. Shepard studied each of them carefully. The Human, the Drell, the Asari, and the Quarian. "I'm pretty sure my squad is sufficient to handle this, Admiral. Do you really think we need the backup?"

"I'm not sure of anything yet Commander. It's better to be prepared then to find ourselves with our backs against the wall. The attack commences at 08:00. The new troops should arrive shortly before then. Hackett out." The Admiral cut the transmission and Shepard went to brief his own squad.

"EDI, have everyone meet in the hanger. We're rolling out." Shepard walked through the checkpoint and onward to his room, where his armor was.

**A Few Hours Later…**

"Again, we have no idea what's beyond the relay, so we should be prepared for anything. I want everyone to bring extra thermal clips. The _Normandy _only has a limited supply, but I'm sure we'll work something out if we can't find anything." Shepard looked at each of them. Liara, the women he loved. Kaidan, the man he trusted with his life. Garrus, his best friend. Tali, the quirky Quarian girl. Javik, the Last Prothean. EDI, the AI in a Cerberus body. Finally, James, the New Blood.

Shepard turned as he heard the elevator stopping. Four people exited. All of them wore black clothing, save the Quarian's orange faceplate.

"Raven squad, reporting for duty!" All four saluted.

"At ease. Have you been briefed?"

The girl stepped forward. "Yes sir. Captain Charlotte O'Hansen. N7 graduate like yourself, Commander. I specialize in biotics. My codename is Fury. This is my squad. Raesh is the most adept Vanguard I've seen in combat. He's also not too bad, for a Drell." The Drell bowed as she spoke.

She pointed to the Asari next. "This is Halia. Best shot in the Asari Huntresses. I wouldn't want to be the target on her scope." The Asari smiled and gave a short wave.

Finally, she pointed to the Quarian. "This is Lore'Faell. He's the best damned engineer I've ever had the pleasure of working with. He could fix a mass relay if he felt like it." The Quarian gave a short salute.

"Good to have you all aboard. We should be receiving the go from Hackett soon, so let's get ready." Shepard headed towards the lift and up towards ops. From there he went to the cockpit.

"Commander, the word from Hackett just arrived. Any last words before we go back through? Joker was obviously trying to laugh off whatever anxiety he had about the mission.

"Let's get going Joker."

In a few minutes, the _Normandy_ arrived at the other end of the Omega Four relay with part of the Alliance fleet. The fleet began firing on the Reapers around the relay as the _Normandy_ activated its stealth drives and approached the relay. Within a few moments, they found themselves looking on new stars on the outskirts of a different solar system.

Shepard looked around before he noticed Reapers dropping on a nearby world. "Where are we?"

…

**Lightning's POV**

It had been a usual day at the new Farron residence. Snow had cooked breakfast, almost burning it, as usual. Lightning had gone off to the _Lindblum _for a meeting of her commanders, and Serah had gone off to the school to teach.

As Lightning listened to Rygdea talk about furthered efforts in and around Oerba, she saw a light streaking down through the sky. "Hold up a minute. What's that?"

Her subordinates all stopped and turned to observe the object. Rygdea scratched his head briefly. "I dunno. We could take the _Lindblum _and investigate, if that's alright with your, Commander."

Lightning turned to the man and nodded. Within moments the _Lindblum _and its supporting fleet were moving to where the object had impacted. They were met with the sight of a purple creature, made of metal and larger than the _Lindblum_. Four legs held it up. It turned and looked on one of the smaller ships. Before anyone could move, it fired a beam of red energy that split the ship in two.

"Get us out of here!" Lightning placed her headset on her ear. "This is Commander Lightning. All Home Fleet elements are to return to New Bodhum. All sectors are to report ready from combat. We are under attack. I repeat, we are under attack."

The _Lindblum _quickly turned, as did the rest of the fleet. They quickly rallied over the town. All of the ships trained their weapons on the creatures and fired. They tore through it easily, and within moments it sank into the sea.

Lightning looked up through the window and took a breath, relieved that they'd managed to stop the beast, whatever it was. Then she saw more streaks of light as more fell to Pulse. "I want all ships in the air over their respective sectors now!"

She turned to watch as the beasts fell. She instantly thought of how the first had been made of metal and wondered if this was the vengeance of the fal'Cie. As more began to drop into the ocean and the surrounding land, the fleet opened fire again. More and more fell, but more and more kept dropping from the sky.

Lightning shouted into her headset. "Don't stop firing until every one of those bastards is dead."

…

**I hope you liked. As for why the weapons were so effective against the Reapers, the only reason ME weapons aren't effective is because all technology is based off the Reapers. Mass relays, Thermal weaponry, all that good stuff. Also, hoping to explain the presence of the Mass Relay in the FF13 Universe in either the next one or that one after.**


	4. IV: A Beachside Meeting

**Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy or its characters, nor Mass Effect or its characters. I'm just a fan.**

**Description: A Mass Effect/FFXIII crossover. The Reapers invade Gran Pulse, and Lightning and the former L'cie put up a good fight. Will Commander John Sheppard be able to assist them and push the enemy out?**

**An A/N, Brought to you by the Elkoss Combine: Hello again Mass Effect and FF13 Fans. We sincerely hope that you are enjoying the quality of our production. If not, please feel free to leave us a comment expressing your concerns. We will attempt to address these issues in 1 to 136209876 (372930.281181 years) business days. Thank you for reading and remember, shop Elkoss!**

…

**Lightning's POV**

**A Few Hours Later…**

Lightning surveyed the damage from the battle. Surprisingly, they'd taken very few losses, while the sea and land surrounding New Bodhum was littered with the scorched remains of the alien threat. Lightning again searched the sky, looking for any more of the streaks that the creatures made as the dropped from orbit. Instead she saw a ship painted blue, black, and white descend. It leveled off with the _Lindblum_. Lightning could see the word _Normandy _painted on its side.

"Commander, the other ship appears to making attempts to communicate, but our computers can't understand its programming language. Wait….. Something just rewrote their codes to work with ours." Stark read from the technical council, her red hair a mess after shots aimed at the _Lindblum_.

Sound crackled to life over the speakers. "Good job EDI. This is Commander Shepard of the _Normandy_. Can I speak to your commanding officer?"

Lightning switched her headset to the channel the other ship was using. "This is Commander Lightning. State your intent or you'll be blasted out of the sky like those other things."

"Pleasure to meet you Commander. I'm here to assist you in your operations against the Reapers, though I see you don't really need us." Shepard sounded disappointed.

"Reapers? Is that what those things are called? Well, you're right about one thing, Commander. We don't need your help. Still, you know more about these things than we do, so would you mind setting your ship down?" Lightning smiled to her three subordinates at their stroke of luck.

"We'll land a shuttle near the dock. The _Normandy _won't be able to land on the planet. Say in ten minutes?" Shepard sounded immediately hopeful.

"Ten minutes is fine. I'll see you then. Lightning out."

…

**Shepard's POV**

Shepard hadn't had time to register the shock of meeting a new species as the _Normandy _dropped into the atmosphere. Now he felt like a kid in a candy store at the thought of meeting these people. He rushed down to the shuttle bay where Charlotte and Javik were waiting for him.

Javik turned to him. "Commander, I advise that we treat these people cautiously. They can easily kill a Reaper. Who knows what they will do to us."

Charlotte turned to the Prothean. "You're right. I'm sure as soon as we land we'll be taken to labs to be studied. As if. These people want information on the Reapers. We want information about them. We're going to a tactical session, not a Mexican standoff."

Shepard looked at the arguing pair. "Stow it, both of you. I'm sure with our biotics we'll be able to handle whatever they can throw at us. Now, in the Kodiak."

The two squad mates grumbled briefly and climbed aboard. Cortez piloted the shuttle unto the beach, where four people were waiting. Shepard was amazed, not because of the crystal pillar he now saw, but because of how human the four figures looked. Cortez set the shuttle down and the door opened. Shepard removed his helmet.

A woman with long pink hair approached him. She extended an arm. "Commander Lightning, Guardian Corps. Glad to meet you Commander Shepard."

Shepard gripped her hand with his own. "Likewise. Looks like you've had a bit of fun in the past few hours."

"You could say that. I lost more good men, but we seem to have halted the invasion. We've sent out ships to make sure they haven't landed in the unoccupied areas, but they haven't reported back yet." Lightning dropped Shepard's hand.

"Just glad to know you can hold your own. The galaxy I come from is under assault from the Reapers. We're not fairing too well." Shepard glanced at his squad mates.

"I'm sorry to hear about that, Commander, but right now I need to know everything you know about these 'Reapers'."

…

**Lightning's POV**

**A Few MORE Hours Later…**

Shepard had been nice enough to bring detailed information on the Reapers, including their ground soldiers. Of what he had shown Lightning, she most feared the Banshees. Their teleportation made her uneasy, as though they could show up at any moment.

In return, Shepard and his squad had wanted to know about them, their society. So Lightning introduced him to Rygdea, Amodar, and Stark, and together they told the story of mankind and the fal'Cie's creation by the 'Maker'. They went on to explain the rivalry between Pulse and Lindzei, and how Lindzei made Cocoon and lured men away from Gran Pulse.

They spoke of the War of Transgression, and the scarring of Cocoon. They talked of the departure of the Maker, Pulse, and Lindzei from this world. Finally, they went on to more recent events. The Pulse fal'Cie in the Bodhum Vestige. The Purge. When they got to mentioning the six l'Cie, Lightning apprehensively moved her hand over where her mark had been.

After they finished the talk, Shepard requested if he and his team could spend the night in New Bodhum. Lighting granted his request, and his shuttle took off to bring his team here. After everyone was unloaded, people got to mingling. Lightning spotted Shepard on the outskirts of the crowd and went to stand by him. He gave a small wave at her approach, but said nothing.

Lightning leaned on the pole he stood next to. "I understand the feeling. The Commander's not allowed to get personal, or if they do then their duty should come first. I thought that way before I commanded the military."

Shepard grunted before responding. "What do you think now?"

Lightning looked at him. "I think that that's no way to live. When I was branded, I only thought about seeing my sister again. When she was turned to crystal, all I wanted to do was fight the Sanctum. And then I saw what it was doing to my friends. I led them in my blind fight against the Sanctum, and I probably almost got each and every one of them killed on multiple occasions."

Shepard looked back at her. "What's your point in all this?"

Lightning looked into the man's eyes, seeing the regret and pain that lay therein. "My point, Commander, is to live your life. You only get one."

…

**Shepard's POV**

**Later that night…**

Shepard tossed and turned in the bed that had been given to him. He continued to see images of that boy. He woke in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. He threw on a shirt and some shorts and walked outside. As he walked along the beach, he saw someone sitting at the edge of the pier. He approached cautiously. When he was about halfway down the pier, he realized that it was Lightning. She was looking at the crystal pillar that held her old home aloft.

"You don't have to sneak up on me. I can hear you breathing."

Shepard stopped in his tracks, and then resumed walking at a normal pace. He sat down beside her. "Sorry. I didn't realize it was you. Sorry if I offended you."

She closed her eyes, and then looked at him. "You didn't offend me, Commander. I was just saying that you're safe here. Nothings getting through the new defenses."

"Sorry, I just have a hard time relaxing. And call me Shepard. Commander is really just something for the superiors to call me."

"I know the feeling. When I was on the run, it was survive first. Every moment was another where a beast could pounce on you from behind, or a PSICOM soldier was lazing you from a balcony. There wasn't any time to relax. We acted on raw instinct."

"Must've been hard. I couldn't imagine my own government doing something that despicable."

"Most people couldn't, but when the Purge came we were condemned for having a Pulse fal'Cie near our town. The rest of Cocoon turned their backs on us, so we turned our backs on them."

"Lightning, you beat impossible odds. You saved your entire world. Two worlds."

"Not without a cost, Shepard. Two of my closest friends are in that pillar right now. Vanille and…..Fang."

Shepard looked at the beautiful crystal structure. "I'm sure one day you'll find a way to get them out of there. Then you and your friends can be reunited."

"That's a beautiful thought, Shepard, but right now I've got more important things to worry about."

…

**Another A/N, this time brought to you by Up in Arms: So, chapter four. Longest chapter so far, if that's any consolation. I'm not sure if it's the best. I'll let you, the readers, decide that. Also, I've got big plans for chapter Five, that some people will hate, and other people will love. Well, that's all folks, and remember, if it ain't dead yet, you aren't using an Up in Arms weapon!**


	5. V: The Miracle

**Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy or its characters, nor Mass Effect or its characters. I'm just a fan.**

**Description: A Mass Effect/FFXIII crossover. The Reapers invade Gran Pulse, and Lightning and the former L'cie put up a good fight. Will Commander John Sheppard be able to assist them and push the enemy out?**

**I'm the Author, and this is my Favorite note on the Citadel: Hey guys. Just want to thank you for over 300 views. Also, I'm completely serious about the reviews thing. I want to hear your guys take on the story, how you think it could be improved, and things like that. Only way for a person to get better is to have some constructive criticism.**

…

**Lightning's POV**

**The Next Morning…**

"Commander, we've got some bad news." Rygdea looked tired, but so did everyone else.

"What is it?" Lightning leaned on the conference table, her hands folded against each other.

"Our scouts reported back a few hours ago. There's a massive amount of Reaper forces gathering on the far side of the planet. Our scouts were lucky to make it back." Rygdea sat down as he finished.

Shepard stood from where he had been leaning against the conference room wall. "I think the best course of action would be to hold your fleet here. Make them come to you."

Lightning nodded. "It's a long way from here to where they landed. We can use the time to reinforce our position. I just wish we knew how they got here."

Amodar looked at his former sergeant. "I doubt we'll ever know how or why, Commander. It seems pretty obvious, however, that they want us dead."

A familiar voice filled the air. "Well, sunshine, I don't know about you, but we know why they're here."

Lightning jumped at the sound and looked at the door. There, standing together, were Fang and Vanille.

…

**A brief A/N: Yes, that just happened, yes, it's the backstory chapter, no, I don't regret it.**

…

Lightning stammered slightly before she stood up from her chair. She circled around the two women cautiously. "How are you here?"

Fang shrugged. "Dunno, sunshine. One moment, Vanille and I are dreaming pretty crystal dreams, next thing we're here."

Vanille clapped her hands together. "Ooh, it feels so good to be moving again!"

Fang turned and looked at Lightning. Very suddenly, she slammed her mouth against Lightning's, shocking everyone in the room except Fang, Vanille, and Lightning herself.

…

**Another Brief A/N: Should've explained. Established pairs are Shep/Liara and Fang/Light. Not that they may not CHANGE or anything (hint hint wink wink)**

…

"I've been waiting awhile to do that."

Lightning took a breath, and then smiled. "I'll bet."

Vanille looked at the two women, and then turned to the room. "So, you want to know why the Reapers are here."

Lightning looked shocked. "Yes, but how could you know anything."

Fang turned to Lightning. "Because it's a long story handed down through the ages in Oerba."

…

**Shepard's POV**

Shepard had been shocked, to say the least, when Fang had kissed Lightning. He was still a little shocked when they got around to introductions. Fang and Vanille were interested in his universe, and how he was such an expert on the Reapers. Then he explained the mass relays to them and how he had arrived here.

Vanille and Fang settled into two seats. Vanille began the tale. "Long ago, before Pulse and Lindzei left the world, they made the fal'Cie. The Maker also made Humanity, thus he orphaned both Human's and fal'Cie when he left. Before Pulse and Lindzei's departure, however, the Reapers came to Gran Pulse."

"They saw only another species to turn into slaves. When they encountered the fal'Cie, however, they found a fight. The fal'Cie and the Reapers fought long and hard, but eventually the Reapers were pushed out. Before they left, the largest of them vowed they would on day return. That was yesterday."

Everyone at the table was silent. Lighting and Fang shared looks with one another, for which Shepard couldn't blame them. He too had been separated from Liara for a long time.

Finally, Shepard came to the head of the conference table. "So, we know why they're here. We have a plan to at the very least contain them. Is there a way to stop them, or are we going to have to accept that you're all going to have to fight the Reapers forever?"

Vanille looked at him. "Well, umm, in the old days, the fal'Cie sent one of their own through this 'mass relay' thingy, and he destroyed the one on your end. But we don't have a fal'Cie to do that for us this time."

Shepard looked around the table. "No, but we do have the _Normandy._"

Lightning connected with Shepard's gaze for a moment. She stood. "He's right. We'll clear the Reapers off of Gran Pulse, and then before any more can come through Shepard takes his ship through and destroys the relay on his end."

Fang looked at Lighting. "It just might work."

Lightning looked back at Fang. "It'll have to."

…

**A/N: I realize some people are going to hate this, and I'm sorry for that, but I'm doing this my way. Also, fair warning, but next chapter may have some smut in it. You stay classy San Diego.**


	6. VI: Your Move

**Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy or its characters, nor Mass Effect or its characters. I'm just a fan.**

**Description: A Mass Effect/FFXIII crossover. The Reapers invade Gran Pulse, and Lightning and the former L'cie put up a good fight. Will Commander John Sheppard be able to assist them and push the enemy out?**

**A/N: I have no excuse for the long time between posts. I only hope you'll forgive me for it. **

**Thanks**

**-LGA**

**Also, this chapter is rated NC-17, for lemons.**

…

**Lightning's POV:**

**A Few Hours Later…**

It had been a quiet event. Vanille and Fang were led to the Farron household, and they through a small party. Snow and Fang got into a drinking contest that ended with Snow on the ground, near unconscious. Fang and Vanille got to meet Shepard's people. It was funny seeing how they reacted to the two. Vanille's bubbliness and Fang's chilled hunter attitude.

The party started winding down, and Fang caught Lightning's eye. She gestured for the soldier to follow her, and she did without question, the two slipping away from the house. They walked to the pier and sat at the end, taking off their shoes and dipping their feet in the water. Fang leaned against Lightning.

"I missed you, sunshine…" There was a lot of emotion in that one sentence. Longing, regret, and happiness.

Lightning wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I missed you too. Not a night when by when I wouldn't sit here, talk to you…"

Fang chuckled. "Really? You talked to the pillar 'cause you thought I'd hear you? That's odd, even for you…"

Lightning elbowed her. "Shut up. I never thought I'd see you again, and talking to myself while thinking about you was the closest I could get…"

Fang leaned over, tilting Lightning's head towards her, catching her lips in a kiss. "I'm here now, Light. You don't need to talk to yourself anymore…"

Lightning shivered at her voice, kissing her more viciously. Fang pulled away, smirking lightly. "We should go somewhere private…"

Lighting nodded, taking her hand and pulling her up. She led off the pier, forgetting their shoes in a mad dash to the edge of town. A solitary building stood on a cliff face. Light quickly punched in a code, and the door slid open. She pulled Fang inside as the lights lit up the interior of a small dojo. Several pieces of cut up dummies lay on the ground, as well as padded mats for physical training. Fang smirked lightly. "Padded mats? Afraid you'll break something, _princess?_"

Lighting didn't respond, tackling fang to the ground and kissing her roughly. Fang slowly wrapped her arms around the soldier, returning her kisses. They began to strip one another, tossing their clothes this way and that, losing themselves in the kiss.

Lightning pulled away from the kiss, slowly kissing and nipping her way down Fang's chest. She hooked a hand behind her, undoing her bra. She heard Fang hiss softly and smirked, tossing the offensive garment away and immediately attacking one of her breasts, nipping softly at the small nub, grinning as it grew in her teeth. Her hand gently massaged Fang's other breast, and Lightning shivered as Fang moaned her name.

In an instant their positions were reversed, Fang on top and Lightning on bottom. Fang undid Lightning's bra but ignored the soldier's chest, kissing down her stomach as she lowly slid her panties off. Lightning's breath hitched as Fang smirked up at her, giving her mound a long slow lick. Lightning shivered, biting back a moan. Fang grinned, burying her head in her sex, licking and thrusting her tongue into Lightning, bring a hand up to pinch and tease her clit as her other wrapped around her leg to keep her still.

Lightning moaned loudly, starting to writhe on the ground. She dug her fingers into the mat, gaining no purchase. Fang simply doubled her assault, intent on driving her love to climax. It didn't take long, and soon Lightning's hips bucked ferociously as reached her limit.

Lightning panted heavily, a thin sheen of sweat making her body shine in the light. Fang pulled away, grinning and licking her lips. "Claire, you taste good as ever…"

Lightning shivered as Fang used her real name, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "I-I haven't….not since the last time…"

Fang chuckled. "Haven't even masturbated? Jeez sunshine, that takes skill…"

Lightning nodded, then suddenly tackled Fang, kissing her. She tore Fang's underwear off, enjoying the simple sound of ripping fabric. She gave Fang no time to react, shoving two fingers into the hunter's womanhood, starting to finger her roughly. Fang grabbed on to Lightning, moaning loudly and bucking her hips against the soldier's hand.

They stayed like this for a while, Lightning fingering her and Fang kissing the chest and breasts before fang let out a long, loud moan, her walls squeezing Lightning's fingers. Lightning smiled, pulling her fingers out and licking them clean, causing Fang to blush. They snuggled in to one another, Fang curling Lightning's hair around one of her fingers. "I missed you…"

Lightning blushed softly, nodding and giving her a short kiss. "I missed you too…"

…

**Shepard's POV:  
**

Shepard had noticed their absence a little after they left. He hadn't questioned it, sure they needed some time alone. Her returned to the party, interested in the weapon Vanille used. "So, it's like a fishing pole?"

She nodded. "Yep! 'Cept better!"

Hope chuckled, watching her. "Well I've never seen you catch fish with it, so…"

Vanille stuck her tongue out at him. "You're just jealous. All you've got is a boomerang!"

Hope shot her a faux-serious look. "You take that back."

Vanille turned away from him and crossed her arms. "Never!"

Hope grinned evilly, pouncing her and starting to tickle her. "Take it back!"

Vanille giggled, trying to swat him away, continuing to shout. "Never never never!"

Shepard chuckled softly, watching the two. He stood, excusing himself and walking back to the pier, bringing his omnitool up. "Joker, how you doing?"

"Good, commander. We found a hiding spot near Pulse's moon. You're in for hell, though. Another Reaper task force just jumped through the relay. They're holding steady in outer orbit, but they've got to be getting ready…"

Shepard cursed softly. "Thanks, Joker. Keep me posted…"

His omnitool flashed off and he stared up at the stars. _It's your move now. Don't disappoint…_

…

**Again, I apologize for not updating. I hope to make it up to you guys. Promise.**

**-LastGreatAvenger**


	7. VII: The Battle of New Bodhum

**Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy or its characters, nor Mass Effect or its characters. I'm just a fan.**

**Description: A Mass Effect/FFXIII crossover. The Reapers invade Gran Pulse, and Lightning and the former L'cie put up a good fight. Will Commander John Sheppard be able to assist them and push the enemy out?**

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, I had to think about what I wanted to put in this chapter. Enjoy ^^**

…

**Lightning's POV**

**The Next Morning…**

It had been fairly short work getting their clothes back on, though Lightning had paid for ripping Fang's underwear. They walked hand in hand back to the city, finding it near deserted at this early hour. What caught their attention, however, was the moaning.

Once they entered the city boundaries, they heard an odd moaning behind them. They turned, only to be met by the shambling grey forms Shepard had called husks.

Lightning cursed, readying her gunblade and turning to her lover. "Go, warn the others!"

Fang shook her head, spear in hand. "You know I ain't gonna leave you with them, sunshine…"

Lightning sighed softly, starting to pepper them with bullets. They fell easy enough, but there were easily hundreds of them. She looked to Fang. "Fang, go! I'll be fine until you get back!"

Fang cursed under her breath, running back to the Farron house. She stepped inside, loudly shouting. "We're under attack!"

…

**Shepard's POV**

Shepard heard her shouting from the house he'd been provided, and starting rousing his team. He put his armor on as quickly as he could, running out of the house while his team woke up. He saw Lightning standing in front of a horde of husks, and he charged.

The look of surprise he managed to glimpse on her face when he appeared on the battlefield was priceless, but there was no time to savor it. He put his powers to full use, helping her hold back the tide.

By this point, members of both teams had arrived. Charlotte dived and teleported through the battlefield, husk's collapsing simply from being within her wide biotic field. Fang put her spear to work, jabbing and slashing. There was a loud pop, often coinciding with the violent explosion of a husk, Halia's evident work.

The battle raged on for a good hour, and there didn't seem to be any end in sight. That was when a lone voice spoke out across the battlefield. "Firaga."

A massive cloud of flame enveloped the husks, burning them to cinders. Shepard, as well of the rest of the group, turned to the voice.

Lightning's sister, Serah, moved slowly towards what remained of the horde, her eyes glinting with frightening malice. "Thundaga!"

Thunder clouds quickly grew, and a lightning storm incinerated many more husks while the rest began fleeing. They weren't spared, however, because Serah shouted once more. "Blizzaga!"

A cold winde swept over the surviving husks, freezing them in place. The hail of bullets that continued to spread through the battlefield shattered the frozen monsters, and that was the end of it.

**Lightning's POV**

She hadn't known if they were going to win until her sister's voice broke out across the battlefield and the fire swept across the land. When the lightning hit, she'd felt confident, and after the blizzard she'd just felt proud. She turned back to Serah, walking over to her and giving her a rough hug.

"That was stupid, and idiotic, and so many other words."

Serah giggled softly, returning the hug. "You're welcome…"

Lightning pulled away, looking down at her. "So that's what you've been doing in your spare time when you weren't teaching the kids…."

Serah nodded, smiling. "I thought you could use some more help…"

Lightning's hands dipped to a pocket, where her Eidolon's crystal was. "Right…more help…"

Serah looked at her curiously, but Lightning quickly turned away. "Serah, just promise me you'll be careful, and that you won't try to join us on our mission…"

Serah nodded slowly. "It's a promise…"

Lightning let out a relieved sigh, started to walk through the battlefield. She nodded once to Shepard, who had regrouped his party and was discussing with them. Snow and the NORA gang were giving each other pats on the back, and Hope and Vanille were with them. Fang was sitting on a nearby rock, cleaning her spear.

Lightning made a beeline for the Pulse Hunter, leaning next to the cliff wall and sighing softly. "This could've gone very badly."

Fang nodded. "Could've, but it didn't. Why not try being happy for once, Light?"

Lightning smiled softly. "Because we're at war, and I have a duty."

Fang chuckled. "Yeah, and you're so eager to do your duty…"

Lightning chuckled as well. "I'm a soldier. Always have been, always will be…"

Fang stood slowly, finished. "And I'm a hunter. And right now, you're my prey."

Fang grinned softly, grabbing the back of Lightning's head and pulling her into a kiss. "It's ok to relax once and a while, Claire. You don't have to be going 24/7…"

Lightning looked at the hunter, blushing softly and nodding. "Yeah…you're right…"

…

**Shepard's POV**

**A Few Hours Later…**

Once everything was rounded up the teams had separated. Lightning's group went back into their home and his group into theirs. Late at night, when he couldn't sleep, he wandered the town, finding himself on the pier, looking at Cocoon.

"It's always really pretty at night, isn't it?"

He turned quickly, surprised, only to find Vanille walking onto the pier behind him. He nods slowly. "Yeah, the way the moonlight catches it…"

She nods, stepping up beside him. "It feels weird to not be in there. I'm not saying I liked it, but I'd gotten used to it after a time…"

He looks at the pillar. "Do you feel more at home there?"

She shakes her head. "No, Oerba with always be my home, but there….It was peaceful there. I'm glad we're here now, and I missed my friends, but…it's not as peaceful…"

Shepard nodded in understanding. "I know the feeling…"

She looks over at him. "You do?"

He nods. "I was kind of, well….dead for a while…"

She studies him, suddenly more interested. "Really?! That's…wow!"

He nods, sighing softly. "I should try and get some rest… Nice talking to you…"

Vanille nods, watching as he makes his way down the pier. She looks back to the pillar and sighs. "Nice one, Vanille…"

…

**A/N: So, Yeah, sorry about the wait. Could not for the life of me figure out what I wanted to do ^^ Next Chapter should have a shorter wait period.**


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